The glintstone lamp gave off a bright yet gentle glow, lighting the entire room as though it were daytime.
Yet despite the ample light, the room felt utterly silent, so still it was as if time itself had come to a halt.
It wasn't that her sister's request placed the valiant Valkyrie in a difficult position. Rather, she trusted that her sister had already made all the necessary preparations, leaving no need for further deliberation.
In truth, she was less a humanoid weapon meant only for slaughter, and more an obedient younger sister and the commanding general of the Haligtree.
With her most beloved sister right beside her, how could she possibly spare a thought for anything else?
The silence lingered for a while. With a faint sigh, Trina gently stroked the Valkyrie's red hair, trying to break the quiet.
She looked at Malenia, hoping for some opinion or response.
"Malenia, what do you think?"
At last, the tall woman nestled in her sister's arms slowly lifted her head, a trace of coyness showing in her eyes.
Outside, she would maintain the dignity of the Valkyrie. But here, with no one else around, she was simply a weak, helpless, pitiful little girl who needed her sister.
Malenia's long, powerful body dwarfed the petite Trina, yet at this moment she showed a pure, childlike dependence, like a clingy younger sister.
"Using Godwyn the Golden's body, along with Nolan's perfect soul… Sister, are you trying to create a perfect Lord?" Malenia said softly. "I understand now. Only such a Lord would truly be worthy of you."
Her voice was clear and pleasant, each word carrying a gentle rhythm, like a mountain spring flowing softly, bringing a sense of calm and comfort.
"To be honest, I didn't want Nolan to change bodies," Trina said, leaning back against the bed. Her voice was so gentle it made the Valkyrie want to sink into it. "He's already growing stronger. Even on his own, he could one day become a perfect lord comparable to Godwyn."
"If Nolan still has room to grow, why rush things so much?" Malenia asked. "I see. So this is Brother's decision. Has he already grown impatient?"
"Yes. He's always been impatient. He never has any patience at all."
Trina's gaze shifted toward the doorway, her tone changing slightly.
"Malenia, there's still so much I want to say to you. But you need rest right now. I have to go meet an important guest."
"An important guest? Have the other brothers arrived?"
"No, it's someone from Caria," Saintess Trina said, shaking her head.
"The Lunar Princess has now become our ally. She longs to use Destined Death to destroy her own body, break free from the control of the Two Fingers, and obtain true freedom."
"And it's precisely because of this that we have a chance to claim that body and usher in a new era."
This time, Malenia hesitated. She was well aware of the complicated relationship between the Carian royal family and the Golden Dynasty.
The Carian royal family was not only an ally of the Golden Dynasty, but also the only power in the Lands Between, aside from the ancient dragons, that had never been fully conquered by it.
Their father was the celebrated Golden Hero, who had once led the Golden host in an unsuccessful campaign against Caria. Forced into marriage with the Queen of the Full Moon, he later became the Lord Consort of the Golden Dynasty and fathered the two sisters with the Eternal Queen.
It was said that after being abandoned by their father, the Queen of the Full Moon withdrew from the world. Sensing something amiss, the academy of sorcery under her command began to develop troubling ambitions of its own and grew increasingly restless.
At a time when Liurnia was already steeped in turmoil, this princess chose not to rely on the Golden Dynasty to stabilize her realm, but instead involved herself in such matters.
This left Malenia unable to understand it at all.
On the surface, the Two Fingers acted as the mouthpiece of the Greater Will and held immense authority within the Golden Order, commanding countless followers.
Ranni herself was an Empyrean of the law, one of the future gods chosen by the Fingers.
Yet she intended to abandon her status as an Empyrean and pursue that vague, illusory freedom instead. This was nothing less than a direct challenge to the authority of the Two Fingers.
They would never allow such defiance to go unanswered. Action was inevitable.
With the Queen of the Full Moon no longer exerting her influence, and Father caring only for the Golden Order, the only ones Ranni could possibly rely on were her brothers, Rykard and Radahn. Even then, whether either of them would truly help her remained uncertain.
Even Malenia could see how enormous the risk was. One misstep, and the entire Carian royal family could be wiped out.
But thinking it over, Father no longer cared about Caria anyway. And what the Lunar Princess intended to do would indeed benefit them. If she succeeded in stealing the death that killed the body, then Godwyn's body could be preserved.
"Rest for now. When you're ready, come find me. I'll tell you what you need to do."
Malenia nodded slightly, gazing at the bright light overhead as only her sister's ethereal voice echoed through the room.
...
The dark underground structure was brightly lit by glintstone lamps, and tangled tree roots could occasionally be seen winding through cracks in the walls.
Nolan wandered through the corridors at an unhurried pace. This had become his daily routine for relaxation.
He had spent so much time idling here that even the patrolling knights knew there was a Golden Needle Knight who liked to roam around for no reason.
Whenever they saw Nolan, the knights cast envious looks his way.
They envied his freedom to wander as he pleased, and even more so, the favor he enjoyed from the Empyrean.
That envy quickly turned to irritation the moment Nolan stopped in front of them and began offering commentary.
"Hey, Al, look at your stance. You're standing there like a block of wood. No presence at all!" Nolan criticized him without restraint.
As he spoke, he demonstrated various movements, acting every bit like a seasoned instructor.
The Cleanrot Knight clenched his fists, but reason prevailed. He couldn't afford to act rashly.
Nolan was deeply favored by His Highness. If a conflict broke out, the consequences would be disastrous. Finlay would be the first to deal with him.
So Arl swallowed his anger, deciding to wait for a chance to report this to Knight-Captain Leda and let her teach this brat a proper lesson.
Nolan grinned smugly, clearly aware of the Cleanrot Knight's frustration.
He deliberately provoked him. "What's wrong? Not happy about it? If you've got the guts, fight me and let's see who's better!"
He even struck an exaggerated, taunting pose, nearly making the Cleanrot Knight spit blood in anger.
At last, Nolan put on a disappointed expression, thoroughly satisfied, and left the underground structure to continue his stroll on the surface.
Aside from Malenia's chambers, which were strictly off-limits, he had already explored the residences of both Empyreans.
At first, there had been a sense of novelty from returning after so many years. But as time went on, that unfamiliarity faded, replaced by an overwhelming boredom.
Very little had changed here. There was almost nothing new to see.